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Mixed Media Art. Photography. Inspiration.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

I've had some ideas for paintings like this swimming around in my head for a while, and for some reason I haven't made one until now. But when I've thought of doing such paintings, the color purple or lavender was definitely NOT on my mind.

I wanted to make something for the final week of Louise Gale's Creative Color Challenge, but I was intimidated when I learned that the color was lavender. I love lavender plants, I think they are beautiful and smell fantastic, but it is not a color that I normally use in my artwork. I guess that's why it's called a challenge : )

I started by plastering the top 2/3's of a 6 1/4" x 11 1/4" wood board with Golden' light molding paste, using an old credit card as my "trowel". I used the same technique to smear Golden's crackle paste (love!) to the bottom 1/3. While still wet I drew the design into it with a pencil, and used the credit card to create the straight lines.

When dry I painted the lavender background. Originally this piece was only going to be lavender and white, but I remembered that for this week's challenge we could add any of the past challenge colors, so I added a soft sea green and some raspberry red.

On the bottom right corner I added a small square of silver leaf torn from a Japanese washi paper. Once it dried overnight, I sealed it with a matt sealer and then antiqued it lightly with a raw umber glaze. I did this to bring out the cracks and grooves a bit more, and make the colors not quite as "bubble gum". The camera (or photographer ;) ), was having trouble capturing the true colors, but this is close enough. They are a bit more "dirty" in person.

So what I thought was going to be a project that I would want to give to the nearest passerby once done, ended up being one of my favorites! Now I love the color lavender and am already planning on using it in more of my work. Thank you Louise for that! What I realize is that I could probably use any color in my work, as long as I learn howto make it "Esther".

I also am realizing that plaster or molding paste is one of my favorite things to use. I've used it many times like on this piece here, and on my sister's 3 other pieces (which I still have to share with you), and I really feel like that's the way my artwork is going to keep heading. I had a blast creating this piece and want to make many more like it. And using plaster takes me back to my favorite finishes from my faux-finishing days, so whenever I miss it, I could just whip out a very large canvas and get plastering!

I'm certainly getting educated in techniques :D I've never done a mixed media piece (well beyond a little pencil over some acrylic). You're certainly daring me to climb outside my box by sharing a piece of work like this. Some fascinating textures you have there.

I really like the way you have scratched into the plaster shabby chic style..fantastic painting..thanks very much for your comment about me being published..hoping to send lots more in now I have got the confidence

This is such a fantastic piece of art, I love it! All the texture going on, so much to see and discover. And the colors are beautiful ! I think we all have one color we hate to use, loved to read that you were surprised by the color lavender ;-)

Hello my friend! THAT is what I was going to say to you - I am starting to think of you when I see pieces with beautiful depth and texture. You have a wonderful talent of taking a simple thing (tree branch, leaves, bird, swirl) and making it grand with beautiful and bold texture and/or scale. I am really impressed with this - and I too am a huge fan of Golden's crackle paste . . .xoxoxo

About Me

Hi. I am Esther Orloff, a mixed media artist in SoCal. I love to use texture in my paintings, eat healthy delicious food, and spend time in nature with a camera in hand.. and coffee in the other. I believe that art is important and can be a powerful messenger, and that we should all encourage one another in this life.